This is the location where the latest HILLCREST 9 Newsletter will be posted shortly after it becomes available, as well as other important news to pass on to the residents in between the traditional hardcopy newsletters.  Check back here every so often for the latest!!

Last updated:  June 2010

May 2010 

   HILLCREST IX HOA NEWSLETTER   

May 2010

Community Safety Report:

From January 2 to May 23, 2010, Hillcrest IX's Special Phoenix Police Patrol has conducted approximately 60 patrols, of 2-4 hours in duration, 12-14 days per month. During their patrols Officers Earl Fisher and Dennis Nebrich have checked resident's vacant houses when requested, made contact with individuals walking and driving through Hillcrest during late hours, and alerted homeowners when garage doors were found open. The following is a summary of incidents noted in their reports during the aforementioned timeframe: 

Parking Violations: 12 (Warnings and citations issued)

Open Garage Doors: 12 (Made contact with resident when possible)

Thefts: 1 (Resident reported a theft to Officer Fisher, who subsequently took a report)

Non-resident contacts: 4 (included teenagers out skateboarding and TP’ing a vehicle, and an individual who was scavenging through Bulk trash).

Other: Observed a Great Horned Owl swoop down on 13th St./Acoma; Ran over 4ft long snake that was laying in the gutter at 13th St./Acoma; found a dead snake on 13^th St. (Snakes are being sighted everywhere this year;  keep a watchful eye out for them!!!)

Officers Fisher and Nebrich continue to advise that Hillcrest residents should keep their garage doors closed to prevent entry of burglars and critters. Residents should also put their bins out in the morning rather than the evening before, have a neighbor pick up papers and mail when on vacation (or stop it online), not use the red flags on the mail boxes, and not leave their vehicle on the street, as it can make a tempting target for a thief.

Block Watch (BW) and Phoenix Neighborhood Patrol (P.N.P.) is a long standing partnership between the City and                   citizens. Hillcrest IX’s Block Watch program goes back to the early 90’s, as community minded residents desired a way to prevent crime and keep the neighborhood safe. Resident Pat Vail was our very first BW coordinator. Sue Rezab was also a main BW coordinator. Some early Block Watch leaders that come to mind are Sally Krzykos, Barbara Gearhart, Bonita Costa, Lydia Garcia, Fran O’Boyle, among others. These leaders recognized that residents, more than local police, are familiar with the neighborhood and can easily recognize suspicious activity about which they can alert a neighbor and or police as appropriate.  P.N.P. is a highly visible program which involves residents walking, bicycling or driving through their neighborhood to report suspicious activity or alert a homeowner to an open garage door. Phoenix P.D. likens P.N.P. to hanging out a “Criminals not welcome” sign. 

One of the best things about the Block Watch and the Phoenix Neighborhood Patrol programs is that it is free of charge to residents. Phoenix P.D. provides the training and the rest is up to residents to coordinate one or both programs. The Board would like to encourage revitalization of Block Watch in our community. On a recent Saturday, Jesse Cuilty and Sarah Hoiby participated in the Block Watch and P.N.P. training. Please contact Jesse or Sarah if you are interested in learning more or participating in one or both of these valuable programs. 

Gating of the Community:

Residents may recall that the Board has been exploring the possibility of having electronic gates installed at our three entrances/exits. Bill Maxwell generously offered his time to research gate companies and the costs for installation. A gating system for our Association would cost approximately $80,000. Once gated, our Association would be required to maintain the streets and light fixtures which would incur additional costs to our Association. Regrettably, these costs are not an expense that we can absorb at this time.  Perhaps this improvement can be reconsidered by a future board.  The Hillcrest IX Board would like to thank Bill Maxwell for all the time and effort he spent researching this project.

Legal Review:

Recently, the Board met with the Mulcahy Law Firm, LLC to ensure that the Board and the Association’s Governing Documents are up-to-date with Arizona HOA law.  The good news is that our Governing Documents are relatively short and simple (as compared with newer HOA’s Governing Documents that can be 100 pages or more) and do not need to be updated.  The Board has the responsibility of keeping abreast of legislative changes affecting HOA’s. One legislative change that will affect homeowners going forward is that voting at annual and special meetings must be done in person or by mail. Giving a ballot to a neighbor to take to a meeting is now prohibited by law.

Arroyo and Landscaping Updates:

After listening to feedback from our residents and researching several qualified firms, the Board has hired South Mountain Landcare, LLC to do a thorough cleaning, trimming and pruning of the vegetation in the arroyo.  The work is scheduled to begin on June 10^th and will take two to three days. This firm is trained in and uses the techniques endorsed by the Desert Botanical Gardens so we are confident that one of the crown jewels of our community will be in excellent hands. Kerry and Jesse have offered to make themselves available to meet with any residents along the arroyo who have specific suggestions or concerns regarding the vegetation directly behind their homes. Please call and they will arrange a time to chat by phone or meet you at your home.

The Board is also in the process of researching and accepting bids from landscaping companies for the ongoing maintenance of our common areas. We will be equally diligent in this selection process. All landscape companies that we are interviewing are expected to be licensed, bonded and insured, in order to limit any potential liability to the Association.

THANK YOU!  To all our residents that responded so beautifully to the dreaded compliance notices.  The neighborhood is sparkling again! We have a special surprise to recognize our shining stars in the future.

Hearn Street Traffic Calming Chicane:

Due to the narrow tract of land on the south side of Hearn Road, Pointe Mountainside HOA voted for the limited chicane design which will not exceed the boundaries of Hearn Road. The City of Phoenix anticipates that construction of the chicane will be completed in or around March, 2011.

Next Board Meeting:  The April Board meeting will be held June 12^th at 7:00 p.m. at the home of Bob Shepard.  Please call any Board member for directions.

Have a safe and fun Memorial Day and we thank our troops and veterans for all their service!

April 2010 

Annual Garage Sale - April 17, 2010 7:00am until 2:00pm

Join your neighbors and get rid of that junk that has been accumulating in your house, garage or storage unit.  Maybe make a few bucks too!  Hillcrest IX will post the signs, you provide the merchandise.

Board Member Changes

Dave Rezab submitted his resignation February 15, 2010, indicating to the Board that for personal reasons, he would prefer to serve our community as "Utility Man" rather than continue on the Board.  Long time residents will recall that Dave and his late wife, Sue, served our community over the years as Board members and presidents.  Dave and Sue's contributions were honored a few years ago with a beautiful plaque and a sitting bench at the south end of the arroyo. We our grateful for Dave's continued service as Utility Man.

Pursuant to the Bylaws, the Board has appointed an interim member. Bob Shepard has graciously agreed to serve for the remainder of 2010. Bob served our community in the 1990's as a Board member and president.  An Engineer, Bob brings excellent critical thinking and interpersonal skills, and plenty of HOA experience. Please join us in welcoming Bob (back) to the Board.

Community Security

The Board is currently evaluating Hillcrest IX's security measures, including the Special Phoenix Police Patrol hours and the Block Watch program. In addition, some residents have inquired about having a gated community.  Resident Bill Maxwell is assisting the Board in researching the pros, cons, security statistics and expenses associated with having a gated community. It is important for the Board to hear from all residents who have concerns and or suggestions regarding the security of our community. Please contact any Board member or attend a Board meeting to discuss this important topic. 

Landscaping

Did you know that, according to our CC&R's, we are instructed to leave the majority of our common areas as natural desert? [CC&R's 1(e) ]. Developer/Builder Dell Trailor had wonderful foresight (before many cities enacted Natural Area Open Space -NAOS- ordinances) to adapt Hillcrest IX to the desert by situating the community next to the mountain preserve and incorporating large tracts of land (common areas) into the design. In keeping with the spirit of the CC&R's with regard to maintaining the common areas, the Board is currently researching landscaping companies that are certified in natural desert landscaping through the Desert Botanical Gardens Desert Landscaper School. The Board has met and walked the arroyo with several companies thus far and will be evaluating their proposals over the next month or two.

By the way…

The Hillcrest IX board meets monthly and the date and time can be found on our website, www.hillcrest9.com along with lots of other neighborhood nostalgia, pictures and information. The website also has the 2010 Bulk Trash Pick-up Schedule posted.  As you may recall, the City of Phoenix recently changed our zone (11) and rotation.  Our next pick-up is scheduled for placement starting May 8^th and pick-up on or after May 17^th.  Kudos to Mike Harrington for donating his services as webmaster!

Next Board Meeting

The April Board meeting will be held April 8th at 7:00 p.m. at the home of Jesse Cuilty.  Please call any Board member for directions.

February 2010 

The annual meeting was held on January 23, 2010 at Fountain of Life Church.  More than 40 homeowner’s voted to elect the 2010 board members.  Thanks to all who made the meeting and or voted.

  The new board members are as follows:

2010 Board Members

Jesse Cuilty………………..President

Melanie Drazkowski…..Vice President

Kerry Harrington………..Treasurer

Sarah Hoiby……………….Secretary

Dave Rezab…..…………....Member

We look forward to serving our great community in 2010.

-Community Safety-

Our patrol Officers, Earl and Dennis noted several incidents over the past few months in which residents have inadvertantly left their garage doors open at night. Unfortunately, one instance resulted in theft of property. For the safety of yourselves and your property, please remember to keep your garage doors closed. If you plan to go on vacation this year, you can notify any Board Member and we will ask the officers to check on your residence during their patrol. The officers have also observed on several occasions, individuals going through the blue recycle bins which residents have put curbside the evening prior to trash pick-up.  When possible, place the blue recycle bins out in the morning, and be sure to shred all sensitive documents prior to placing them in the bins in order to help prevent identity theft.

For more information on identify theft prevention and repair in the event you become a victim, please contact the Arizona Attorney General's Office Community Outreach Division, at 602-542-2123, or obtain a brochure in PDF format online at  http://www.azag.gov/cybercrime/IDTheftBrochure.pdf. The Attorney General's Office makes available a number of resources to the public, such as Protecting Arizona Seniors, Consumer Fraud, and Crime Victims' resources. If you should need additional assistance obtaining these resources, please contact Jesse Cuilty.

December 2009 - again

This is NOT a scan of the newsletter (as usual) you all had taped to your mailboxes - just the same thing only typed in on the website.  I felt it was important that I get this online before the annual meeting knowing how many folk may be being solicited as new members......

HELP WANTED

NEW BOARD MEMBERS NEEDED - NO EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

There are currently 3 openings for positions on the 2010 board.

Please let any current board member know if you are interested in helping out next year.  We will be happy to answer any questions that you may have regarding serving on the board.  Rest assured that no special experience is required;  just a desire to help out and make our community a better place to live.  Just give a call and let us know if you would like place your name on the ballot!

The ANNUAL board meeting is scheduled to be held:

January 23, 2010 @ 10 AM

Fountain of Life Church (Hearn and 11th Street)

Even if you don't wish to put your name in the hat to serve on the board, we very much need your vote.  We encourage you to attend the annual meeting referenced above.  If some other event prevents you from attending, IT IS CRUCIAL THAT YOU RETURN YOUR COMPLETED BALLOT TO US SO THAT YOUR VOTE MAY BE COUNTED.   

In a recent election, we barely received the the 40 votes necessary to constitute a quorum to legitimize the election....get voting people!!

We plan to deliver BALLOTS to each homeowner in the next few weeks.  Please either bring your completed ballot with you to the board meeting, or give it to a neighbor to bring it to the meeting.  You may also elect to mail or give your ballot to an existing board member to bring it to the meeting for you.  Just call one of us at the numbers listed on the notice taped to your mailbox for help (since the board does not want their phone numbers on the website for privacy reasons).  

Thank you all for your support during the past year and have a Happy New Year 2010!!!

December 2009

Reminder!

The Annual Meeting is coming:

Saturday, January 23, 2010 @ 10AM

We need homeowners for the Board.  Please contact a current board member to put a name on the ballot.

Please expect a BALLOT to be dropped in the recognizable pink bagged flyer during December!

November 2009

Mark your calendar

                                Hillcrest IX annual picnic

November 7^th 2009

12:00 to 2:00  

In the arroyo off 12^th Place

(West side of the arroyo)

 Dad’s Catering will be providing the food.

Please feel free to bring a dessert or salad to share.

The annual meeting is scheduled for January 23 at 10:00AM.

If you would like to run for the board in 2010, please contact a board member to be included on the ballot. 

2009 Board Members

August 2009

April 2009

ANNUAL GARAGE SALE

APRIL 18, 2009

Join your neighbors and get rid of that junk that has been accumulating in your house, garage or storage unit.  Maybe make a few bucks too!

Hillcrest IX will post the signs, you provide the merchandise.

Bulk trash placement also starts this weekend with pick-up beginning the following week.

THANK YOU

We would like to recognize and thank the landscape volunteers who have brought about some beautiful results in our neighborhood.  The volunteers are Peter & Sally Krzykos, Jay Hawkinson, and Kerry Harrington.

CURIOSITY

 Did you know raccoons live in Hillcrest IX?  It was reported that one of these furry mammals with a mask and bushy ringed tail has moved into the neighborhood.  We hope you see him too.     

SECURITY

February 14, 2009 at 9:45pm our security guard followed 3 juveniles into the preserve where they were planning to let off fireworks.  They were detained and released to their parents and  were not residents of Hillcrest IX.    Also, be aware of people at your door claiming to be a service tech or something.  Recently a stranger contacted a homeowner for money.  Fortunately they didn’t fall for his scam.  Police were called, but the person was gone by the time they arrived.

If you see any unusual activity, please contact the police if you feel it is warranted. 

Like your mom said “WATCH OUT FOR STRANGERS!”

January 2009

The annual meeting was held on January 17, 2009 at Fountain of Life Church.  Fifty-one (41) home owner’s voted to elect the 2009 board members.  The new board members are as follows:

2008 Board Members

                                 Tracy Hare ……..President

Jesse Cuilty……………Vice President

Tom Espy……………..Treasurer

Sarah Hoiby…………..Secretary

Melanie Drazkowski……..Member

We look forward to serving our great community in 2009.

 Reminder – please put your garbage cans away as soon as possible.   When not out for collection the cans must not be visible from the street.

Landscaping

 The volunteer landscape committee should be planting the new foliage soon.  Keep an eye out.  Again thanks to those who volunteered.

 Don’t forget, you can contact the board through the e-mail at:

hoaboard@hillcrest9.com

November 2008

                                ANNUAL MEETING

The Hillcrest IX Annual Meeting will be held on SATURDAY, JANUARY 17, 2009 from 10 AM

until Noon at the Fountain of Life Church, 1055 E. Hearn (just around the corner!).  The meeting

will be in the cafeteria.  Please mark your calendars so you can be sure to attend it!  Coffee and

snacks will be served.

Ballots for board members for 2009 will be mailed out the 3rd week of December.  If you are unable

to attend the annual meeting, please give your completed ballot to a board member or a neighbor

who is planning on attending.

                        BOARD MEMBERS NEEDED!

We have had no response to our previous newsletter asking for volunteers to fill our board positions

for 2009.  We have a few existing board members who are willing to run again for 2009 but we do have

vacancies we must fill!  There are five board positions to fill each year.

PLEASE consider volunteering your time and take an active role in your community.  Contact any board

member to be added to the ballot.  We will need your names by DECEMBER 15th so that we may print the

ballots.  Of course, write-in names on the ballot are fine.  We look forward to hearing from you!

Hillcrest IX is a unique and special community made so by its residents and the PRIDE they take in their

community.  Volunteering to serve your community saves us SUBSTANTIAL money each year as we do 

not have to employ a management company.  

Please consider volunteering for your community in 2009.

October 2008

September 2008

SHREAD-A-THON

 Securing your personal information is key to eliminating identity theft.  Would you be interested in having a shredding company come to the neighborhood to shred your personal documents?  Please let the board know your interest through one of the following means:

Call Martin Euritt at 602-993-6984

E-Mail the board through the Hillcrest IX website at www.hillcrest9.com

or

Mail the board at P.O. Box 9972, Phoenix, AZ  85068

GARBAGE CANS

Please remember to put your garbage cans away the same day of pickup.  Garbage and Recycle containers should not be visible from the street.

PERIMETER MAINTENANCE

The perimeter wall will be painted soon.  A landscape committee, which includes several, homeowner volunteers, has been formed.  The first item on the agenda is to enhance our entrances for a more beautiful and up to date look.  Stay tuned for updates.   And thanks to the homeowners for volunteering.

2009 BOARD MEMBERS

It’s not to early to start thinking about joining the board.  There will be several open positions that will need to be filled.

PICNIC

The date has been set for November 8, 2008.  Dad’s Catering will again provide the main course.  Feel free to bring salads, desserts and of course yourself.

THE PAINTED HOUSE

Many have painted their homes this year and they look great.  Thank you homeowners

ALSO

April 2008

ATTENTION HOMEOWNERS

Recently we have had a few reports of garages being burglarized and of vehicle parked outside overnight being broken in to.  Remember to keep your garage doors closed.  A garage door opener left in your vehicle may also be an enticement to gain access to your garage.  If you leave your vehicle in your driveway overnight, remove your garage door opener or disable the opener from inside.

Our best defense is to be aware.  Report any suspicious activity to the police right away and notify your block watch representative or any board member. 

REMINDER

ANNUAL GARAGE SALE

APRIL 5, 2008

Don’t forget the big garage sale scheduled for this Saturday!!

March 2008

Annual Garage Sale - April 5, 2008 from 7 till Noon!

Join your neighbors and get rid of all that junk that has been accumulating in your house!  Maybe make a few bucks too!

Hillcrest IX will post the signs and place the newspaper ad - you just provide the merchandise!

House Painting (NO, not a color change!)

Now would be a good time to search for painting contractors before the weather heats up!

WEEDS! 

It has been noted that the weeds are taking over the neighborhood!!  Don't wait for the hot summer sun to kill them.  Help keep the neighborhood looking enviable by killing or cleaning up your weeks now.

Parking

It is against the CC & R's to park vehicles on the streets of Hillcrest IX between 2am and 5am.  This is also enforceable by tickets from the City of Phoenix.  Save yourself the heartache and make sure you park all vehicles off the street.

That's it, enjoy the spring weather and maybe take in a baseball game!

January 2008

The annual meeting was held on January 12, 2008 at Fountain of Life Church.  Fifty-eight (58) home owner’s voted to elect the 2008 board members.  The new board members are as follows:

2008 Board Members

Kerry Harrington……..President

Tracy Hare……………Vice President

Tom Espy……………..Treasurer

Sarah Hoiby…………..Secretary

Martin Euritt…………..Member

We look forward to serving our great community in 2008.

The next board meeting is scheduled for January 31, 2008.  If you would like to join us, please call one of the board members for the time and location.

BULK TRASH DAY

The Hillcrest IX area is scheduled for pickup the week of January 28, 2008.  You can start placing items curbside the week of January 19, 2008.

Don’t forget, you can contact the board through the e-mail at:

hoaboard@hillcrest9.com

December 2007

Board Members Needed!

Only 2 of the existing board members will be running for next year's board.  We have one volunteer and now need 2 (or more) other homeowners to let us know if they would like to be added to the ballot which is going to be sent out in December.  We look forward to hearing from you!

As a reminder, our HOA fees are LOW in comparison to other HOA's, and the reason is that homeowners (your neighbors) volunteer as board members.

We also want to wish you a VERY Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, and a VERY prosperous, healthy Happy New Year!!

Board Notes

October 2007

Mayor Phil Gordon

Attends Annual Picnic!!!

Mayor Gordon has photo taken with the President Ginger Bower.

The annual picnic was great success and fun was had by all.  The Mayor made a surprise visit along with three Phoenix policeman.  One brought his muscle racecar.  Also in attendance was Phoenix Council candidate, Maria Baier. 

Their attendance was due to our Block Watch Coordinator, Sue Rezab’s response to a G.A.I.N (Getting Arizona Involved in Neighborhoods) request for information on Neighborhood Blockwatch groups.  For more information on G.A.I.N, go to www.phoenix.gov/police/gain1.html.

Visit www.hillcrest9.com to view more pictures of the picnic.

!!!!  Coyote Alert  !!!!
 

In the past several weeks, there have been 2 attacks on pets in our neighborhood.  One was killed in the owner’s backyard and another was attacked and seriously injured while the owner was walking the dog on a leash on 12^th Place.

According to the AZ Fish and Game Department, we need to learn to live with them by restoring their fear of humans. 

Ways we can to this are:

·        Do NOT leave pet food or water bowls outside.  Coyotes can easily jump a six-foot wall.

·        Do NOT feed wild animals, including birds, as this attracts not only birds but also small rodents, which coyotes feed on.  (NOTE:  It is illegal to feed wild animals, except birds, in Maricopa County.)

·        Do not walk small dogs at night, dusk or just before dawn. Also, keep a close watch on dogs left outside during from dusk to dawn.

To discourage a coyote, immediately:

·        Make loud noises.

·        Shout and bang pots or pans, or rattle empty soda cans with pebble in it.

·        Wave your hands or objects like sticks and brooms.

·        Throw small stones.

·        Spray the coyote with a hose.

·        Use pepper spray, Mace, or a spray bottle filled with water and ammonia.

In an emergency – If a coyote is aggressive, approaching a person, biting, or growling and snarling unprovoked, then:

·        Continue and exaggerate the above actions.

·        Do Not turn away or run because the animal may view it as an opportunity to chase. 

·        Keep eye contact.

·        Move toward other people or a house.

Board Notes:

August 2007

House Color Change Survey

Over the past few years many homeowners have asked the Board what could be done about the rigid stock white paint code.  They indicated a desire to expand the color choices to include colors such as light beige or sandy/white.  The Board responded by polling the entire community asking whether the Board should pursue this matter further.

The polling results are:

- Of the 120 properties, 87 (72%) participated.

- Of the 87 votes, 49 voted “No” and 38 voted “Yes”.  That is 56% to 44%.

The Board’s interpretation of the results were that the voting homeowners desired no further action should be taken in investigating expanding the paint choices. Therefore, the 2007 Board voted 3 to 2 against further action with regards to the matter.

One of our neighbors, Kerry Harrington, did some research on our neighborhood.   He found a really interesting article in the Arizona Republic archives about the developer (Dell Trailor) who built our neighborhood and others like it around town. 

The article full article can be found on our website under the “History” tab or contact a board member for a copy.

Annual Picnic will be October 20^th!!!!

Keep the date open.  If you would like, bring a dessert.  Dad’s Catering will provide the hamburgers, hot dogs, drinks and salads.  The venue is the 12^th Place entrance to the arroyo from noon to 3.

Mail Theft

At the last Board meeting, several concerned neighbors against changing colors attended, however other issues were brought to light.  The one most disconcerting was that of mail theft.   Neither the Board nor Block Watch has been notified of any recent thefts.  If you see someone tampering with the mailboxes, focus on the model and make of the vehicle AND the license plate number

  If it is a crime in progress, call 911.  If not, call Crime Stoppers at (602) 262-6151.  Also, notify the Postal Inspector at (602) 223-3660 if your mail has been stolen.  Then please call our Block Watch president Sue Rezab (789-7338) or call any Board Member so we can alert our neighbors.

Other tips are: 

·        Do NOT put outgoing mail in your mailbox.

·        Stop mail delivery if you are going away or have family, friends or a neighbor collect your mail for you.

Coyote Alert!!!

Very recently, several people have spotted coyotes in our area.  One was reported strolling down 12^th Place in midday.  Others have spotted them in the arroyo in unfenced backyards.  The Board has not received any calls about them being aggressive, but one homeowner was quite startled that the animal showed no fear.  This could become a very real problem.  Below is part of an article copied from the AZ Fish & Game website.  (For the full article see: http://www.azgfd.com/w_c/urban_coyote.shtml).

Possible Conflicts with Humans and Pets
Coyotes are curious, clever, and adaptable. They quickly learn to take advantage of any newly discovered food source, and are often attracted to yards with abundant fruit and wildlife to eat. Coyotes will eat pet food and knock over unsecured garbage cans, or may walk along the tops of walls around homes in search of unattended dogs and cats to eat. Coyotes may consider large or loud dogs to be a threat to their territory and become aggressive toward those dogs. Coyotes have lured free-roaming dogs away from their owners to attack, and bold coyotes may attack small dogs on retractable leashes.

What Attracts Them?
Coyotes may visit a home if they find food, water, or shelter there.

·         Food can include unattended pets, birds or rodents attracted to bird feeders, pet food, garbage, or fallen fruit.

·         Water sources can include a pet’s water bowl or a swimming pool.

·         Shelter can include a storm drain or any cave-like area beneath a shed or unused building.

What Should I Do?
If you see a coyote near your home, don’t ignore it. This may cause it to lose its natural fear of people, which can eventually lead to aggressive behavior.

To discourage a coyote, immediately:

·         Make loud noises.

·         Shout and bang pots and pans or rattle empty soda cans with pebbles in it (coyote shaker).

·         Wave your hands or objects like sticks and brooms.

·         Throw small stones or cans.

·         Spray the coyote with a hose.

·         Use a commercial repellent like Mace, if necessary, on bold animals that refuse to leave.

In an emergency: If a coyote is aggressive, approaching a person, biting, or growling and snarling unprovoked, then:

·         Continue and exaggerate the above actions.

·         Don’t turn away or run because the animal may view it as an opportunity to chase.

·         Keep eye contact.

·         Move toward other people, a building, or an area of activity.

·         Call your local Arizona Game and Fish Department office (8 a.m.-5 p.m., Mon. -Fri. excluding holidays at 602-942-3000).   Also, call Game and Fish if severe property damage has occurred or if there is possession of a live coyote.  After hours and weekends, a radio dispatcher is available at (602) 789-3201.

Remember, removal is usually a last resort:
Coyotes will keep coming back to the same area if attractants are not removed. Coyotes do not usually become a problem where the guidelines listed below are followed. Homeowners may trap and relocate coyotes, but must contact the Arizona Game and Fish Department for an appropriate release location before transporting the animal

Board Notes

Ø      Just a reminder, please keep your trash bins out of view.

Ø      Please don’t feed the pigeons. 

June 2007

House Color Change Survey

There were some questions and concerns about this that need to be cleared up.  First and foremost, this vote is ONLY to determine if there are enough homeowners who are interested in having the board contact a firm to recommend a new color scheme.  Since this will come at a cost, we want to make sure that there is enough interest to pursue it.  The colors will then be voted on at the annual meeting.  

For those of you who have responded, Thank You.   For those of you who haven’t yet, you have until August 1^st.  A voucher is attached to do this.  If you’ve already voted, there is no need to vote again.  Only one vote per household/member will be counted.  No verbal votes can be accepted.

The current count is:  33 against and 30 for.  As you can see, it is pretty close and can go either way.  Please vote and encourage your neighbors to vote.  This issue has been mentioned for several years and should be either acted upon or put to rest.  Only voter response can determine this.

If you are anxious to paint your house and want to keep it white, then go ahead and paint it.  White would have to be one of the allowable colors.

BOARD NOTES  

Please remember that it is against the CC&R’s to leave your garbage and recycling bins visible from the street. 

Several homeowner’s expressed concern about feeding birds.  If your feeder is not visited by pigeons, then there isn’t a problem.  If it is, then please be considerate of your neighbors.  Pigeons don’t usually defecate where they eat.  They fly to your neighbor’s property to do their business.  Their droppings carry disease, which can be brought into the home on shoes or paws of pets.

MEMORIAL DAY FLAGS

Please detach this to vote on the house color change:

This vote is ONLY to determine if there are enough homeowners who would like to see a change from the current pure white to allow other colors and want to have the board pursue it.  

___  Yes, I would like to have the board look into this issue further.

___  No, I would like to keep things as they are.

Name:  ________________________ Lot #: ______________

 Signature: ____________________________________

Detach and send this to Hillcrest IX HOA   P.O. Box 47366, Phoenix, AZ 85068 or email the board at => hoaboard@hillcrest9.com or you can send an email from our website at www.hillcrest9.com.    No phone call or verbal votes can be accepted!!!

May 2007

Pride of  Ownership

 The recent real estate market has made a dip in property values.  As Hillcrest homeowners, we must maintain or improve our current market value.  One way is to update the color scheme of our homes from stark white to allow more muted shades.      

The Board can’t make this decision.  To make a change to the house colors means a change to the existing CC&Rs.  This requires that a majority of homeowner’s agree.  There are 120 houses in Hillcrest IX, so that means there must be a minimum of 61 homeowners to agree to this change.

On the last page of this newsletter is a vote voucher.   This is a vote to ascertain if there are enough homeowners who are receptive to this change so the board can pursue this issue further.   If the majority of homeowners agree to a change, it will not be up to the Board members to choose the colors.   We will hire a professional architecture service to recommend the color palette would best suit our neighborhood. 

Also, if you’re unsure of how the change will look.  Take a drive through the Valle De Luna community.  To get there, head west on Thunderbird.  Turn right onto Canterbury.  Then turn left on Tam-o-shanter and right into Valle De Luna (3^rd Ave).  This was once an all white house community.

 Landscaping Committee

As many of you are aware, the frost did damage everywhere including the common areas.  Plus, many plants in these areas are showing their age.  We are looking for an individual to head up a committee to address beautification.  Several individuals have volunteered to join the committee, but no one has raised their hand to lead it.  Please don’t expect that the “Board” will take care of it.  Board members are your neighbors and volunteers.  A neighborhood is made up of every one in it.  So if you’d like to do this, please volunteer. 

Block Watch

Our BW meeting on March 28^th was a success thanks to Sue Rezab’s great organizational skills.  Two guest speakers from our neighbors at the Fountain of Life church, Garry Webb and Shevaun Sullivan, presented a program they are spearheading about keeping kids safe on their way to and from school.  It’s called “Raising Watchman”.  They are approaching BW groups in the Look Out Mountain school district area for support. 

 Granted, we don’t have a lot of school age children in Hillcrest IX, but how this program differs from others, is that it asks you to look out for people who may be looking at the children, rather than looking out for individual children.   For example, if you’re driving down Hearn and you see school kids walking home, keep a sharp eye out for anyone paying undue attention to them.  Often when kids are abducted, no one in the neighborhood saw anything.  Let’s not be one of those neighborhoods.  This isn’t about being nosy; it’s about being aware.   

 Also announced were our BW Captains – all are your Hillcrest IX neighbors.  They form a phone link calling 8 to 10 neighbors informing you of any stranger or strange behavior reported to the Board by concerned neighbors and our Security Policeman.  If you weren’t contacted about recent issues, then your captain probably doesn’t have your phone number.  Contact a board member to be included. 

Your BW Captains are:  Melinda Wilcox, Mary Sethia, Li-Ling Espey, Sharon Doxeman, Barbara Forney, Yvonne Lewis, Pat Vail, Fran Reser, Barbara Gearhart, Nancy Maxwell, Layne Rumbaugh, Pat McCutcheon, Sarah Hoiby, Carol Conrad and Sue Rezab.  Sue’s also the BW Community Group Leader.  Whilst on the topic, there seems to be some confusion as to “What exactly is Block Watch and what does it do?”   “Do I call 9-1-1 or the HOA board?”  Hopefully, the following will clear this up. 

What Block Watch Is
Block Watch is really just an extension of what you are probably already doing on an informal basis. We tend to know and watch out for our closest neighbors, but a group of neighbors at one end of the street who are doing this may not know the group of neighbors at the other end of the street. Organizing a Block Watch makes this attitude of watchfulness more systematic, and provides a block map with neighbors' names and telephone numbers that can be used in case of an emergency.
It takes two commitments:
A commitment to be concerned about your neighbor's property as well as your own, and a commitment that when you see suspicious activity, you will take action.  If it is a crime in progress, call 9-1-1, if something or someone looks suspicious then call Crime Stop 602-262-6151.   Then, call a member of the HOA Board so that they may warn other neighbors.   

What Block Watch is Not
Block Watch doesn't require you to perform any special tasks, go to a lot of meetings, or take on extra responsibilities. You don't have to patrol the neighborhood, or chase burglars. Block Watch just involves being alert as a part of your everyday life. For example, when you go to the window to open or close the drapes, instead of just opening or closing them and turning away, you might stop for a second and glance around the neighborhood to be sure everything is okay.  When you pick up your paper, mail, or tend to the garbage bins, take a gander around the neighborhood.   When you are in your car, check the neighborhood as you’re passing.  Get to know what and who belongs, so you can recognize when something’s amiss. It is this kind of "watching" that is involved.

Being a part of a Block Watch doesn't require you to live in your neighbor's hip pocket, or tell them every aspect of your business. You can still conduct your life in privacy.  All it requires is that you and your neighbors be familiar enough with each other to know who belongs in the neighborhood and who doesn't; which cars are a part of the neighborhood and which aren't.   It doesn't require you to be any friendlier than you want to be.

Block Watch isn't only for homeowners.  If you are a renter, you’re still a neighbor and part of our community.  

Neighborly Responsibilities 

·         Wave – remember waving?  Waving is so good.  If you’re in your car, it gives your neighbors a chance to let them know what you look like and what your vehicle looks like.  If you’re in your yard, they can recognize you as the person who belongs at your house.  Wave to gardeners doing landscaping on your neighbor’s property, wave to strangers driving down the street if you’re out gardening, wave to the trash collection people, the USPS, FedEX, UPS delivery people.  This lets people who are temporarily in our neighborhood  know that someone is watching them. 

·         If you’re getting your mail or taking out the trash and you see a neighbor doing the same, shake their hand and share a word or two.  It doesn’t cost you anything.      

·         Post your Block Watch sign prominently.  Let people know that you care about your neighborhood.

Personal Responsibilities

·   Do Not leave outgoing mail in your mailbox with the flag up.  Not only does this let the Postman know you have outgoing mail, it also lets identity thieves know.  There are thieves who target neighborhoods like ours that don’t have cluster mailboxes.  They are easier to steal from.

·         Do Not leave your garage door open if you aren’t in it or in front of it at the time.  It only takes a thief a minute to steal something.  If you see your neighbors door open, knock on their door and tell them.

·         It’s hard to know who trust anymore, but if you’re going to be away for a few days, let neighbors you trust in on your plans.  They’ll be first to know that the ”moving van” in your driveway wasn’t your idea.

·         Keep an updated inventory of your valuable belongings.  Pictures of them will speak volumes in insurance claims.

·         Lock your doors and windows whenever you leave home, even if it is just for a short time.

·         Use electric timers on lamps and radios when you are away for longer periods.

·         Use motion sensor lights near your front and back doors.  Some of the newer devices screw into existing sockets, then you screw the light bulb into them.  So they aren’t expensive to install.

·         Leave a key with a friend or trusted neighbor rather than hide it on the front or back patio. 

·         Give a trusted neighbor or Block Watch Captain your emergency contact number.    

Notes from the Board:

Feeding Wild Birds

Numerous complaints have been received about putting seed out to feed the birds because this attracts pigeons.  Currently, we do not have pigeons and the vast majority of residents don’t want them.  They carry diseases such as: 

Histoplasmosis is a respiratory disease that may be fatal. It results from a fungus growing in dried bird droppings.

Candidiasis is a yeast or fungus infection spread by pigeons. The disease affects the skin, the mouth, the respiratory system, the intestines and the urogenital tract.

Cryptococcosis is caused by yeast found in the intestinal tract of pigeons and starlings. The illness often begins as a pulmonary disease and may later affect the central nervous system.

Need we say more! 

New Owner’s and Renter’s

We are getting into desert cottontail, quail, and coyote breeding seasons.  Please keep your dogs on a leash.  If you are a cat owner, please keep your pet close to home.  Not only are they a predator to baby rabbits and quail, but coyotes consider them quite tasty.   This author lives on the arroyo side and has seen coyotes in mid-day, strolling along the footpath.  More than one of your neighbors had lost pet

                Pet Control

Many of you pet walkers may have noticed the new bag dispensers and signs at the entrances to the arroyo.   Please use them.  Complaints have been received that some people aren’t cleaning up after their pets.  The board can only do so much and this is our attempt to address the problem.  If you are having a problem with this in your yards – which are not considered common areas – there is nothing the Board can do as our streets are maintained by the city of Phoenix.  However,  for an effective, non-toxic, environmentally friendly solution, try this.  Pick up the mess, then sprinkle that area with lots of pepper.  A combination of cayenne, chili, and black is the most effective, however plain old black pepper works just fine.

On the same topic, there are homeowners with more than 2 dogs per household.  This is in violation of the CC&R’s – section 10.  To date, no action has ever been taken against violators and we hope that it should never come to this.  If this describes your situation, please make sure that your animals don’t infringe on your neighbors quality of life.  Clean up pet waste promptly, ensure proper fencing, and be conscious of barking. 

April 2007

Place: North End Park, 10600 N. 7th St., Havasupai Pavilion

Date: Wednesday, March 28th, 11:00 am – 1:00 pm

Our next Hillcrest IX Garage Sale date in Saturday, April 21st.

February 2007

Board meetings are held the 3rd Thursday of every month. Please feel

free to join us at the next meeting on February 15th, 7:00 pm at the

Our next Hillcrest IX Garage Sale date in Saturday, April 21st.

November 2006

Another FUN Picnic!

The Fall Picnic was terrific!  The food was delicious and the weather couldn't have been better!  Dad's Catering did a great job cooking, and serving the hot dogs, burgers, etc.  And those desserts - they were delicious!  Thank you to all who took the time out to come eat, drink, jump (in the bouncer), and visit with your fellow Hillcrest IX neighbors.

Some of our luckier neighbors entered a drawing and received a little gift from the HOA.  This winners were:  Pamela Wallach, Robert & Virginia Fox, Richard & Barbara Doll, Kamal & Mary Sethia, Sharon & Harm Dozeman, John & Beth Hensel, Vernon & Elaine Anderson, Gloria Hymer, John& Sue Wallick, Michael & Carol Harrington, Emile & Isabelle Menache, Barbara Sher and Harriet Blanco.

The Bouncing Castle was a hit with the little ones as well as some of our bigger ones!  We had approximately 65 attendees.  We hope to have another picnic in the Spring!

You can see a 'photo album' of Picnic Pics by clicking here.

Color Anyone?

Some of the board members were approached during the picnic regarding painting of houses.  It seems there is an interest in getting away from the pure white color.  Pale earth tones were the suggested colors.  A SURVEY will be out shortly to assess the situation.

Arroyo UPDATE

Please be sure to walk down the arroyo!  A wonderful cross-over and sitting place was created at the bottom of the arroyo.  Now you can enjoy your walks through the arroyo without climbing over rocks or having to turn around!  Very cool...

September 2006

Storm Damage

Clean up continues from the Labor Day storm.  It should be completed within the next day or two.  Homeowners are responsible for their own clean-up and debris removal.  We contacted the City of Phoenix to ask about a special pick-up and the City declined.  The will only perform regularly scheduled pick-ups - Sorry!

Neighborhood Security

Please keep your garage doors closed.  It is the perfect opportunity for crime!  Earl Fisher, our security officer, has noticed an increase in the number of doors that are left open.  Be prepared to have Earl ring your bell if he finds your garage door open at night.  

Landscaping

Our new landscaper is ASE Maintenance.  You can expect to actually see a crew on the grounds each and every Monday at 7 AM!

Annual Picnic

It's still on for Saturday, November 4th - Mark you calendars!

Website

If you are reading this, then you definitely read the paper newsletter and are checking it out - thanks for visiting!!  See the photos of the recent storm pictures by clicking here

August 2006

February 2006

ELECTION RESULTS

The Annual Meeting held on January 13, 2006 resulted in the following people being elected as Board Members for the 2006 year:

Bob Siddall, President  

Carol Trance, Vice President 

Tom Espey, Treasurer 

Judy Ortiz, Secretary 

Sue Rezab, Member 

President's Comments

Your new Board of Directors has already been hard at work seeking to make this neighborhood a better place in which to reside.

We have held one meeting and have scheduled the meetings for the balance of the year.  You are all invited to attend any or all of them to experience first hand how we function for the good of all of us.

The meetings are held on the third Thursday of every month at 7PM.  Currently they are being held at the home of Bob Siddall, 1242 E. Acoma Drive.  The meetings last from 45 minutes to 1.5 hours.  If you do plan on attending, I would appreciate you calling (345-3780) to let us know so we can arrange appropriate seating.  If many of our residents plan on attending, we might have to move the meeting to a larger facility, but we will tell you in advance.

In future newsletters, I will be sharing my opinion on topics that I consider to be important and would, in my opinion of course, lead to a greater sense of pride and commitment living here.  This is where you have a chance to counter my opinions, share new ones or provide alternatives to what is being said.

Since I don't know a large majority of you, I will spare you my ideas and opinions for this issue.  As you will see from the following reports, I will be making every effort to meet as many of you as possible.

NEIGHBORHOOD SECURITY

I have met with our security officer Earl Fisher, who is an undercover detective with the Phoenix Police department to discuss the 'state of the neighborhood'.

Earl has been working with and servicing our community for the past 10 years.  His work is fully approved by the Phoenix Police department.

In response to several queries I have received since moving into the neighborhood, Earl first came to work here when the neighborhood first sought security services.  One of our resident members worked with his wife and she suggested that Earl make contact to possibly fit the bill.  Well, it worked and we now are receiving excellent security services.

Earl has asked me to convey some thoughts that imperative to maintaining a safe neighborhood:

1. NEVER, never leave your garage doors open when you are not directly using the space therein.  He noted that many persons drive thru this neighborhood every day and all they are looking for is open garages, so they can either make note of what is in them (for later reference) or, if they can determine you are not physically present, jump in and remove items of their likings (the scum!).  It should be noted that Earl does make note of any doors that are accidentally left open at night.  So far, his reports have not indicated any to me, or I would have contacted you - but it has happened in the past.

2. Keep a constant vigil of what's going on in the neighborhood.  You all know your immediate neighbors, but he suggests that you pay attention to what's going on down the street or on other streets as you drive thru.  This provides additional eyes for law enforcement.  I personally have noticed suspicious persons in the neighborhood at odd hours of the morning and have called CRIME STOP to report my observations.  On the three occasions I called in, and officer arrived very quickly, checked the entire neighborhood and reported to me his/her findings.  Nothing untoward happened, but at least the police are aware that we are watching and reporting what we see.

3. Please keep the telephone number of CRIME STOP (262-6151) near at hand in case you do observe a non-emergency activity.  Of course, good ole 911 if it is a real emergency!

THE BOARD WANTS TO KNOW

In an effort to understand your wants and needs and thoughts, I will be distributing a brief questionnaire to a randomly selected number of residents in early April.  The resident members will be randomly selected from the 120 properties of Hillcrest IX. We will be selecting 10% of the older time resident/members and 5% of the newer resident/members for this survey.

I will be disseminating the questions in advance and seek to have a one on one interview with you to obtain your frank responses.  If a resident member does not wish to see my smiling face or to verbally give answers, the can fill out his/her responses on the form and return it to me.  By the way, the only notes I will be taking is what is said, NOT the property lot number or name(s) of the respondents.  We are not interested in who said what about what - but the Board is very interested in what is said as it pertains to the few questions being asked.

The results of the responses will help guide us as to what needs to be done in the neighborhood to make it a better place to live.

ID THEFT

It has come to my attention that many of us are placing items that contribute to Identity Theft in our blue trash receptacles.  Earl Fisher caught a person riding his bicycle thru the neighborhood at 2:30 AM on the night before a recycling pickup.  He was seen lifting lids and rifling through the contents to secure any and whatever information he thought would aim him or his group in ID theft.  Earl, of course, stopped the person and scared him off.

But the situation still remains.  One of our residents reported seeing a car driving thru the neighborhood looking for mail boxes that had the 'red' arms raised for the postman to pick up the mail (I am guilty too!).  His partner would drive up to the box, exit the car, pull open the door and take whatever mail was contained therein - of course looking for checks and other items that could affect you.

SUGGESTIONS:

1. Don't put the blue trash receptacle on the street until the morning of the pickup.

2. Don't put any item in the receptacle that could affect you if stolen.

3. Always SHRED any mail you receive that has account numbers or other identifying (or could be identified) information contained on the letter or solicitation.

4. Don't put any outgoing mail into the mailbox until daylight hours on the day you want your mail to be picked up.

More helpful information on ID THEFT is available by clicking here

BARKING DOGS

There have been MANY complaints on barking dogs.

We do have all the necessary forms from the City of Phoenix, complete with instructions, to stop this annoyance.  Please call Bob Siddall for a copy of the forms.  These forms should be available on our website very soon!

VACATION SECURITY

It won't be long now and many of us will be taking off for cooler climates.  While you are gone, if you like you property looked in on, please let us know so we can notify our security person, who will personally check the property during visits.

We do have a form available for registering your property OR just give us a call to let us know.  Remember, your safety is our safety!!